My 2007 honda Odyssey failed at 325,000 miles. I am looking for a van, and I got a 2007 toyota Corolla with 205,000 miles to get by.
I had a prepurchase inspection done before I bought it and they said it was fine. I suspect that the mechanic did the bare minimum ( the coolant looks brown, the belt looks worn, the car runs rough and feels like it wants to stall when coming to a stop but goes away after it warms up).
I have another ppi scheduled by a different mechanic for a 2010 Odyssey with 135,000 miles this friday. I asked what was included, and they said their inspection includes: "a visual inspection, scan for hidden codes, and look at service history on Carfax. We will also estimate the cost of repair. "
What should a good mechanic be doing for a pre purchase on a high mileage used car inspection? Am I expecting more than I should?
Ideally they should be checking everything. This would include, for example, condition and level of all fluids, brake condition, transmission operation, signs of oil burning, inspection of suspension and driveline components for loose/worn parts, test operation of all electrical items (windows, lights, wipers, horn, radio), check HVAC operation, check for flood damage, check for rust, etc. Carfax history is of limited use since not everything is reported to them. The vehicle should also be test driven both in traffic and at highway speed. If your state performs vehicle inspections anything the state requires for the vehicle to pass should be checked.
